A Right Pain In The Nose
One issue with evaluating how much of an impact Butler might make in the new 3-4 defense is that the Panthers either don’t seem sure where he fits best in this scheme or they plan to play him at both the 0-tech (or nose tackle) and the 3-4 DE, either based on matchup or situation. In some ways, the 6-4, 330 pound Butler is a natural fit at NT, as his size and power allow him to anchor effectively against the run, and it is noteworthy that the three snaps that Butler did play at the nose against the Bears were all on rushing plays. On two of these, he was indeed asked to simply anchor against the run, allowing other players around him the space to make the tackle:
It is easy to understand how Butler is somewhat underappreciated based on plays like these, as despite doing his job by forcing a double team and staying in his gap, he hardly stands out – not exciting for a first-round pick. And on plays like the following, where he appears to have actually stayed in his gap well – and got upfield for good measure – the fact that the defenders outside of him fail to stay in their gaps creates the appearance that the mistake was Butler’s and not theirs:
This is actually a good play by Butler if he’s assigned what I think he is, as he forces the back outside of him into what should be the waiting arms of a defender. As these are the only three plays Butler played against the Bears at NT, it would be wise not to be too enthusiastic about the conclusions, but Butler looks to be effective in this role; while Dontari Poe will undoubtedly start, Butler certainly offers depth and rotational value at the position.
And Now, For Something Completely Different
One of the more interesting things the Panthers seem to be trying defensively is using Butler as a 3-4 DE. Players at this position are usually somewhere in the 270-310 pound range and while Akiem Hicks is something of a comparison from a physical point of view, there aren’t many players in the NFL who could credibly play both NT and 3-4 DE. However, this was actually the role that Butler saw the most snaps in against the Bears and, oddly enough, he actually looked like a sensible fit in the role.
Against the run, he showed the power to drive back blockers when blocked one-on-one:
And when the Bears ran away from him and looked to use a reach-blocking tight end to keep him away from the ball, it was only a well-timed duck that prevented him from chasing down the play from the backside:
As a pass rusher, he should be able to carry over much of what he showed as a DE out of a four-man front, but what was also interesting to see was Butler rushing one-on-one around the edge against the tackle. While Butler certainly lacks the speed of Brian Burns, he actually shows exceptional speed for his size and his use of a powerful two-handed swim to get outside leverage allows him actually win around the edge and begin to turn the corner before the ball came out.
It really is hard to say anything with huge confidence after so few plays – he only played 14 snaps – but Vernon Butler really did do some nice things against the Bears.
Yes, he is probably not going to be pushing for a starting role anytime soon, but he really can be a valuable role player for the Panthers, as his rare athletic traits combined with his good hand usage allow him to be a factor against both the pass and run and from a number of different locations on the defense. He could still stand to show more consistent pad level, but if the Bears game is any indication, maybe it’s time to stop complaining about Butler not become the player he might have been and instead start to appreciate him for the player he is.
